Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

The case has been closely watched because many states are eager to follow in Kentucky's footsteps and add restrictions to their Medicaid program now that the government has shown it's receptive to requests. The decision -- which accuses the Trump administration of never adequately considering "whether Kentucky HEALTH would in fact help the state furnish medical assistance to its citizens, a central objective of Medicaid" -- was described as "scathing" by health policy experts.

The New York Times:
Judge Strikes Down Kentucky’s Medicaid Work Rules
A federal judge on Friday blocked Kentucky’s closely watched plan to require many Medicaid recipients to work, volunteer or train for a job as a condition of coverage. The state had been poised to start carrying out the new rules next week and to phase them in fully by the end of this year. (Goodnough, 6/29)

The Washington Post:
Kentucky’s Requirement That Medicaid Recipients Must Work Is Blocked By A Federal Judge
The decision by U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg vacates that approval and sends the state’s program, Kentucky HEALTH, back to the federal Department of Health and Human Services for further review. Boasberg said that top HHS officials “never adequately considered whether [the program] would in fact help the state furnish medical assistance to its citizens, a central objective of Medicaid.” That “signal omission” renders the decision “arbitrary and capricious,” he concluded. (Sun and Goldstein, 6/29)

The Wall Street Journal:
Judge Blocks Kentucky’s Plan For Work Requirements On Medicaid
The judge vacated the HHS approval and sent the proposal back to the department for further review. Kentucky had hoped to save about $33 million as it reduced the number of beneficiaries by about 90,000 through the new requirements under its new Medicaid program, called Kentucky HEALTH. “The Secretary never provided a bottom line estimate of how many people would lose Medicaid with Kentucky HEALTH in place,” wrote Judge Boasberg, who was appointed by President Barack Obama. “This oversight is glaring, especially given that the risk of lost coverage was ‘factually substantiated in the record.’ ” (Armour, 6/29)

The Associated Press:
Federal Judge Blocks Kentucky's Medicaid Work Requirements
The decision is a setback for the Trump administration, which has been encouraging states to impose work requirements and other changes on Medicaid, the joint state and federal health insurance program for the poor and disabled. Kentucky was the first state in the country to get that permission, and the new rules were scheduled to take effect Sunday in a northern Kentucky suburb of Cincinnati. (6/29)

Politico:
Judge Blocks Kentucky’s Medicaid Work Requirement
The ruling carries broad implications for Republicans across the country hoping to trim enrollment in Medicaid, which now covers more than 70 million Americans. Three other states have received federal approval for work rules — Arkansas, Indiana and New Hampshire — and several other states are seeking permission. The Arkansas work requirement took effect earlier this month. (Pradhan, 6/29)

NPR:
Federal Judge Blocks Medicaid Work Requirements In Kentucky
A number of health policy experts praised the ruling, which they've described as "scathing" and "savage." "The court made the right decision," says Elizabeth Lower-Basch, director of income and work supports at the Center for Law and Social Policy. "It found that HHS did not even consider the basic question of whether the waiver would harm the core Medicaid goal of providing health coverage, and it prohibits Kentucky from implementing it until HHS makes such an assessment." (Kodjak, 6/29)

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